Page 1 of 1 Audi, the inventor of TDI, is about to blaze another trail in the field of engine manufacture with the A3 TDI clubsport quattro, a one-off show car featuring the most extreme incarnation to date of its advanced four-cylinder TDI engine. One of the stars of the forthcoming 27th annual Lake Wörther Tour in Austria, the A3 TDI clubsport quattro extracts an incredible 450Nm of torque and maximum power of 224PS from its 2.0-litre, common rail fuel injected TDI unit, allowing it to race from rest to 62mph in just 6.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 149mph.

The Audi A3 TDI clubsport quattro will leave show-goers in no doubt as to its capabilities, emphasizing them both acoustically through its sonorous exhaust and visually with a series of exclusive parts mounted on the body and in the interior. Exterior components such as the large DTM-look rear spoiler and the bolt-on wheel arch extensions give the car a dynamic air, while the racing bucket seats and open gear lever gate in aluminium form the highlights of the interior.

The show car is a true high-tech sports car. Power is directed to the 20-inch wheels via a six-speed transmission and the quattro all-wheel-drive system. At the front wheels, stopping power is provided by six-piston brake calipers and ceramic discs. The Audi drive select driving dynamics system allows the driver to vary the throttle response characteristics, the exhaust sound, the level of power assistance for the steering, the cut-in thresholds for the ESP stabilization system and the operating mode of the dampers. The dampers deploy Audi magnetic ride technology, enabling them to react to changes in the driving situation with lightning speed.

Audi is the trailblazer of engine manufacture. Since their debut back in 1989, the TDI engines have long since established themselves helped by their powerful, refined and efficient character. The success that the diesel-powered Audi R10 TDI racing car has been enjoying for two years now in the Le Mans 24 Hours and in the American Le Mans Series is clear testimony to this technology's tremendous potential.

The engine in the R8 TDI Le Mans study is closely related to the diesel race engine technically speaking - the high-performance sports car is equipped with a six-litre V12 power unit whose output of 500PS and torque of 1,000 Nm (737.56 lb-ft) are good for a top speed comfortably in excess of 186mph. The R8 TDI can also be seen at the Lake Wörther Tour, as the major annual gathering of Audi and VW enthusiasts is known. Audi has already transferred the superior power of the TDI engines into its road-going cars: the TT and TT Roadster both feature a 2.0-litre common rail TDI unit delivering 170PS and 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft) of peak torque, coupled to the quattro all-wheel-drive system. As is plain to see, Audi continues to build on its lead in the technology stakes. Page 1 of 1